Putting UA on the map

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Former UA President Henry Koffler received his Bachelor of Science Degree from UA in 1943. Koffler emphasized undergraduate education during his administration.

Henry Koffler had a nine-year, wild ride as UA president. During his term between 1982 and 1989, Koffler saw dramatic increases in the numbers of minority students, research dollars and employed faculty despite record-high budget cuts by the Arizona Legislature.

One of Koffler's top priorities was hiring new faculty, and the number of minority faculty increased from 100 to 189 members during Koffler's tenure.

"You can not have a first-rate university without a first-rate faculty and staff," Koffler said. "We had a 100 percent increase of women and minority faculty members, but it sounds better than it was because we started with a very low baseline."

Editor's Note The Century 1999, the turn of the century and the millenium will be a worldwide year of historical reflection and celebration. The Arizona Daily Wildcat today features the third in a series of stories examining the events that shaped the University of Arizona community.

Despite the lack of funds, Koffler knew faculty members needed rooms in which they could teach.

"The infrastructure was in bad shape," said Michael Cusanovich, the University of Arizona's former vice president for research and graduate studies. "Henry understood if you are going to hire good people, you have got to have a good place for them to work."

Twenty-nine facilities were renovated and constructed under the Koffler administration, including the Electrical and Computer Engineering building and the Arizona Cancer Center.

Meanwhile, Koffler faced an initial 10 percent legislative budget cut in 1982.

"It was not a good year to start my career," he said. "The recession was painful to manage but the university is a lasting thing and sooner or later it gets recognized and supported because society can not function without it."

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat "You educate people, discover new knowledge, and provide public services - it pays off and there is a satisfaction knowing what a successful university can do - it makes it exciting." Henry Koffler Former UA President

But Salomon Baldenegro, the UA's assistant dean of Hispanic student affairs, said he heard people talk about Koffler as someone who cared too much about leaving his mark with structures.

"Some said that Koffler focused a lot on building buildings rather than focusing on education," Baldenegro said.

During Koffler's term, Baldenegro petitioned him to save the Mexican-American Studies and Research Center. He called that situation "confrontational" and said his interactions with Koffler were "adversarial but respectful."

"People have called him arrogant but he was always respectful with me," Baldenegro said.

During Koffler's term, the campus also became computer-friendly with the development of the Student Information System to hasten the registration process.

"I came and saw people standing in lines at Bear Down Gym to register," Koffler said. "I laughed because it was the same as it was in 1943 - I thought 'this is ridiculous.'"

Undergraduate Education

Koffler placed a strong emphasis on undergraduate studies.

"He started, and does not get enough credit for this, a re-emphasis on undergraduate education," Cusanovich said.

The push for undergraduate enrichment was sparked by "a national deterioration of undergrad education in the 1960s," Koffler said.

The UA Honors Program was revitalized and now includes 3500 undergraduate researchers.

Koffler conceived plans for freshman colloquium classes that began one year after his resignation. Even after he left his presidential post, Koffler taught six of the courses.

The interdisciplinary education program was also established during Koffler's term and made possible by university-wide collaboration.

"One of the hallmarks of this university is the ability of people of different departments to work together more so than any other university," Koffler said.

But the program soon became a detriment as undergraduate admissions increased by 2000 students during three consecutive years because of the open admissions policy.

"The money we get each year depends on admission rates from the previous year," Cusanovich said. "We did not have the resources. Through Koffler, we had to find ways to deliver higher-quality teaching, research and services on a lower per-capita basis."

Research

The university prospered in its research opportunities, as funding from outside sources increased to one billion dollars.

"What put us on the map was recognition as a major research university," Koffler said.

Between 1982 and 1991, 29 research centers were constructed. In 1980, the UA was elected to the Association of American Universities, which placed it in the limelight for acquiring research funds.

"Without outside money, the UA would not be what it is today because the state can not fully support it," Koffler said.

History

Koffler was born in Vienna in 1922. He moved to the U.S. in 1939, and earned his bachelor of science degree from the University of Arizona in 1943.

He didn't earn a high school diploma until the mid 1980's, when Prescott High School awarded him an honorary diploma. In 1952, he received a doctorate at the University of Wisconsin in microbiology and biochemistry before becoming a Purdue University professor.

"I was intrigued by how living things function and what makes them living," Koffler said.

Koffler turned down several requests for positions until he yielded to UA.

"It was appealing because it was my alma mater and I had emotional string attached," Koffler said. "I wanted to make the university better."

During his tenure as president, Cusanovich remembers Koffler's energy most of all.

"I remember one night we were all driving back from a school reception in eastern Arizona and it was really late," Cusanovich said. "We were all sleeping and Henry kept nudging us awake to talk about the university. He was 20 years older than us and wearing us out."

At the age of 77, Koffler has yet to slow down. After he retired, Koffler signed up for a river-rafting trip down the Colorado River, and took sea- kayaking lessons the following summer.

Koffler is in the process of his next project - the development of the $70 million dollar Arizona Senior Academy, which provides a community for professionals, faculty and others who want to continue their education through research and public connections.

It will include townhouses, academic facilities, library, recreational area and health center.

He now sits on the Campus Research board of directors.

"You educate people, discover new knowledge, and provide public services - it pays off and there is a satisfaction knowing what a successful university can do - it makes it exciting," Koffler said.